Northwestern University recently reported on the importance of brand trust. Your reputation has become more important than your business’s services or products.
Reflect on your company’s current reputation. Does the public associate your brand with innovation? Or see your company as being cutting-edge? If the answer is no, it’s time to think about how you shape the narrative.
One often overlooked resource in trust building is the client announcement press release. What is it and how can you leverage it? Read on to find out.
What Is a Client Announcement Press Release?
When you’re writing press releases, you should always start with your purpose. Why are you making an announcement right now and what do you want the media and readers to learn? Maybe you want to inform the public of a new product line or a notable change in leadership.
In the case of client announcements, the goal is to let the public know about a new partnership with a client. In other words, you’re announcing who has recently hired you and what they’ve hired you to do.
Why Do Client Announcements Matter?
Let’s go back to where we started: brand trust is one of the most important things you can build. When you announce a significant new customer, you show that you are trustworthy. With a well-timed client announcement, you can position yourself as an industry leader.
Client announcements also allow you to control your business story, and establish:
- How fast you’re scaling your services
- What direction you’re taking your business in
- Your innovative approach to solving modern problems
Another benefit of client announcements is that you can highlight the most important aspects of new client relationships and shape the public perception of your company’s choices.
What Industries Enjoy Announcing New Clients?
Some industries stand to benefit from client announcement press releases more than others. If your business model is 100% B2C, you may not have any client relationships worth announcing. Client announcements work best for B2B businesses and large-scale service providers such as:
- Law firms
- Consulting firms
- Shipping fulfillment companies
- Technology firms
- Commercial real estate agencies
Client announcement press releases can work well for product-focused businesses when they collaborate with other brands.
When Is a New Client Newsworthy?
When branding through PR, remember that not everything is newsworthy. When you’re announcing a new client in a press release, you need to have a wider angle worth promoting. Let’s look at some examples of when signing a new client warrants a press release.
The Client Has a Strong Reputation
If you secure the endorsement of an already-trusted brand, building trust becomes easier. We recommend drafting a client announcement press release when the client is:
- A household name
- An older and more established business
- Has a strong reputation in the industry you’re hoping to make waves in
This type of new client relationship shows a new level of achievement for your business.
The Relationship Is Groundbreaking for Your Company
What if you’re trying to change your business model or company focus? Breaking into new territory isn’t always easy. Sharing a press release when you make headway can help shift the narrative around your company.
Take, for example, the partnership between L’Oreal and the climate tech company BreezeoMeter.
This partnership established L’Oreal’s environmental commitment. It deserved a Business Wire press release.
How to Write a Strong Client Announcement Press Release
Now you know why a strong client announcement press release is important for your brand.
Let’s discuss how to write one.
Here are our top client announcement tips to create an attention-grabbing press release.
Punch Up Your Headline
A Psychology Today study found that the majority of people only read the headline. When drafting a press release, your headline needs to:
- Grab the attention of media contacts
- Intrigue your target audience
- Summarize your key points
Your headline must include both companies’ names – and the goal of the client relationship. For example, “Company XYZ Hires Firm ABC in Shift Toward Sustainable Shipping.”
Lead With the Five W’s
Now it’s time to craft your opening paragraph. Once again, operate on the assumption that you don’t have much time to get your point across.
Your opening paragraph needs to answer the following questions. Use no more than 2-3 sentences for each answer:
- Who are you and who is your new client?
- What is happening?
- Where and when will this new relationship take effect?
- Why now?
You’re expanding on your headline, but don’t bury the lede. Readers should finish this first paragraph knowing everything they need to know.
Provide Relevant Context
After the first paragraph of your client announcement press release, you can add more context. When deciding what to include, think about the following questions:
- What problem is your new client hoping to solve?
- What makes your company the best one for the job?
- What shared goals are you bringing into this relationship?
- What implications will this have for your wider audience?
Focus on the key details that build your story and make your announcement newsworthy..
Build Credibility with Quotes
Ask your new client if they’re willing to provide a relevant quote. This quote should come from a notable individual, like a company executive.
See how Deloitte incorporated a quote into their announcement of their Maserati partnership. An executive shares words about Maserati’s reason for choosing Deloitte. This adds credibility to Deloitte’s choice to share the news in a press release.
Distribute With Care
Once you have an airtight client announcement press release, it’s time to get it into print. For best results, make sure to:
- Doublecheck your writing and formatting
- Include all information journalists may need (such as contact information or useful graphics)
- Target journalists who work in a related industry or niche
- Personalize your pitch
Don’t blast a generic list with your press release or limit yourself to only one or two publications. This is a trial and error process. You can skip this process if you use an established press release distribution company.
Client Announcement Press Release Mistakes to Avoid
Before we wrap up our client announcement press release guide, we have a few more tips. Take a look at the top three press release mistakes we see businesses making. You should always avoid these mistakes.
Taking a Promotional Tone
This mistake happens when the companies’ advertising department writes their press releases. Yes, the overarching goal of a client announcement press release is to
- build brand trust
- secure more clients.
But your press release isn’t an ad.
Instead, think of your press release as a concise and targeted report. You’re here to present the facts, not make a pitch. A press release should only include one call to action. That should encourage journalists to contact your company for more information.
Getting Too Wordy
When describing this new client relationship, use language that is both powerful and concise. There’s no set length for a press release, but it should be clear and to the point without unnecessary detail.
After writing the first draft of your press release, review it. Then cut all unnecessary words or phrases. But, don’t try to meet a rigid word count, either. Too much trimming can create clarity issues.
Sending Out Your Press Release at the Wrong Time
Sending your press release at the wrong time can cause journalists to miss it in their inbox. For example, avoid sending it on a Friday afternoon. Then, journalists may be away from their emails for the weekend.
You should also aim to get your press release published at an optimal time for readers. Major holiday weeks aren’t a great time for readers. They are busy with friends and family and less inclined to keep up with industry trends.
Ready to Announce Your Latest Client? eReleases Can Help
In today’s economy, having great products or services isn’t enough to stay competitive. Building brand trust is essential. A well-crafted client announcement press release can help. Share your company’s story and highlight your achievements. Announce your latest client with eReleases.
eReleases is an excellent press release service for small businesses. We offer access to over 1.7 million contacts—from PR Newswire to top bloggers. Contact us to get everything you need, from press release writing to distribution.